City embarks on waste water technology pilot project

Nov 30, 2005

Edmonton Examiner

BY PATRYCIA CHALUPCZYNSKA

Edmonton has become the first customer for a new technology that removes pollutants from liquid sewage and recycles them into environmentally-safe commercial fertilizer. The technology, owned by Vancouver based Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc., will save the city money, says K.C. Er, director of waste water management.

“We’re spending $100,000 a year cleaning pipes. We won’t have to clean the pipes anymore if the technology is successful,” he says.

Currently, high amounts of phosphorus in waste water cause build up in pipes, reducing their diameter.

“It impedes our operational efficiency,” says Er.

With the new technology recovering phosphorus from the waste water, the clogging problem should be reduced.

The Edmonton project, approved by city council Nov. 22, begins with a $150,000 temporary pilot plant being set up at the Gold Bar waste water treatment facility.

The pilot plant, which will remove phosphorus and nitrogen from liquid waste flowing at 50,000 litres per day, will begin operating in early 2006.